Why After School Matters?

Chicago’s teens want and need to know their communities support their dreams and future.

• Teens have dreams and need developmental resources to help fulfill their dreams.
• Teens need a resource to learn from industry experts in a variety of fields.
• Teens want a program that will help them build and develop necessary skills to become productive adult citizens.

After School Matters programs make a difference in the lives of Chicago’s teens.

• Teens who participate in extracurricular activities are six times less likely to drop out, two times less likely to be arrested, and 75 percent less likely to smoke or use drugs¹.
• Teens who participated in After School Matters for four or more semesters had better school attendance than students who did not.
• Teens who participated in After School Matters for four or more semesters failed fewer courses than students who did not.
• Teens who participated in After School Matters for four or more semesters graduated from high school at higher rates than students who did not². 

After School Matters programs prepare teens for college and careers.

A study by Dr. Robert Halpern from the Erikson Institute concluded that After School Matters programs:

• Produce positive effects in several areas such as improving teens abilities to work in groups, communicate effectively, plan and meet deadlines, and cooperate with flexibility;
• Teach students not only about the specific discipline that was the focus of their program (e.g. arts, technology), but also about how to approach tasks related to the discipline, such as conducting research or envisioning the end product; and
• Enhance students' knowledge of various vocational skills such as how to apply and interview for a position, the importance of regular and prompt attendance, and guidelines for appropriate behavior.

Chicago’s teens need a place to go to after school.

• As many as 14 million children in the United States—or 25% of the total youth population—find themselves without adult supervision during after-school hours³, usually from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. when the rates of violent crime against minors are the highest⁴.
• Approximately 84.9% of teens in Chicago Public Schools are considered to be “low-income”—affordable out-of-school programming options are often very limited in communities where financial resources are scarce.

After School Matters leverages resources wisely to create the greatest benefit.

• After School Matters works with city agencies and departments in order to coordinate services and facilities with maximum benefits for teen participants.
• After School Matters reaches out to experts in various industries and fields to deliver successful programs in the communities we serve.
• After School Matters partners with corporate and private foundations to support teens through strategic programming in a variety of relevant content areas.
• After School Matters partners with community organizations and independent instructors to utilize their professional expertise and more effectively reach at-risk teens in the communities we serve.

¹ Wilson, BJ. “Why America's disadvantaged communities need twenty-first century learning.” The Case for Twenty-First Century Learning: New Directions for Youth Development, Number 110.  Ed. Eric Schwartz and Ken Kay. Danvers, MA: Wiley Periodicals, Summer 2006. 47.

² Goerge, Robert, Gretchen R. Cusick, Miriam Wasserman, and Robert Matthew Gladden. (2007). “After-School Programs and Academic Impact: A Study of Chicago’s After School Matters.” Chapin Hall Center for Children: Issue Brief #112.

³ Afterschool Alliance: Policy & Action Center. 22 December 2005. Afterschool Alliance. Accessed 3 November 2008. (http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/policyFedNewsArchive.cfm)

⁴ Hannaway, Jane and Duncan Chaplin. “A Day in the Life of DC Kids.” 14 September 2000. Urban Institute. (http://www.urban.org/url.cfm?ID=900678)